Movie reviews

TONIA

Watchable. Old-fashioned, not just because of the grainy texture of the film and the perfect recreation of the early 80s countryside reality, including the language and behaviours, but also, unfortunately, in the portrayal of the girl protagonist. Her speech manner is exalted, above her age, her thinking gullible. Marianna Ame as Tonia is made act pretensional. The movie tackles some serious issues: adults aren't always ready to parent, children want to have parents, even alcoholic ones. Some initial scenes, e.g. pissing, are revolting. The rest is alluring. A scene mimicking silent movies is acted remarkably well, looks fine in colour but is out of line with the rest of the period exemplified, among others, by surrounding you Al Bano & Romina Power's songs from 1982 and 1984. Still, it's undoubtedly original both in the alcoholic plot and form. The lead actor, Adam Bobik, shows off his acting chops, for all we know he may well be a character transported in time straight from the period.  

تفریق (SUBTRACTION)

Watchable. Slow-paced but gripping. Are the lookalikes real life? Hallucination? A supernatural happening? At some point it becomes clear which possibility it is. The thriller is a bit hard to follow since you need to remind yourself all the time who is who and what the connection is. While the finale is consistent with the protagonists' personalities, it's also a bit simplified and predictable. However original the initial idea is, it fails to shock.

Seen partly online from the distributor's screener, fully cinematic reception might differ. 

R.M.N.  

Watchable. Set in Romania, on the crossroads of the migrant workers' trail between Austria and Hungary, it deals with how environmental, political, social, financial issues clash in a hamlet in central Europe. In one couple the gender division is typical for Poland too: the woman is leftist, the man rightist. Common hypocrisy is presented spot on, the main problem is it's publicity rather than a movie. What and when the boy saw in the wood, the father's tragic decision and the very last bear scene are symbolic rather, never explained within the film. 

KICIA KOCIA MOWI: DZIEN DOBRY!

Watchable. The kitten girl is adorable, the tales educational and perfect for young children in this capacity. Animated in warm colours and providing simple information about how to act towards people, how to eat healthily or what life in a spaceship looks like it's highly valuable. Yet it's not a 40-minute movie but a series of short cartoons. And the tales are simplistic so me and some children in the audience felt bored at times. 

THE MAGIC FLUTE

Watchable. Roland Emmerich is the executive producer. The movie was shot in Salzburg and a few other Austrian locations, as well as London and Tenerife, in Atmos - which ensures sound clarity but is never surrounding in this production. Not even the best performances are offered. Though a movie it is. Definitely not a filmed opera. On the other hand, the style of visual effects and costumes is modern and in this supposed Mozart tribute a major role is played by Jackson Five's "I'll Be There". Real life locations match the picture and are awe-inspiring unlike the professional but run-of-the-mill fantasy worlds. Worst of all, though, is the fact the Polish distributor marketed it towards children instead of classical music afficionados - all were adult at my screening. 

RENFIELD

Recommended. This dark fantasy comedy with Count Dracula is actually less gory than, say, recent "Cocaine Bear". It's zany, fast-paced, with exceptional fight choreographies, great CGIs, some fun effects like an X-ray shot during a fight, top-notch acting, most notably by Nicholas Hoult as Renfield, Nicolas Cage as the vampire and Awkwafina as a police officer. The story takes fighting your demons literally and makes fun of therapy and coaching. Music is all fun but barely noticeable in the fast action, it was only in the credits that I realised how great the soundtrack list was. The whole thing is cracking. The early end credits give the makers' names most inventively - a masterpiece in its own right.

ROVING WOMAN 

Watchable. She's upset and keeps shouting - justifiably - at her fiance, she's clutching the steering wheel nervously, she's listening to country music - these protracted scenes fill the first half an hour of the film. The only interesting pictures are the rolling hill vistas as she walks off in the beginning. The music isn't to my taste either. Then it turns more engaging as it becomes even more disturbing than being kicked out of the house by your beau. While the picture scripted by a female + male duo (actress Lena Góra and director Michał Chmielewski) is thoroughly plausible, I find it unsettling that Sara succumbed to the lascivious blackmail and ignored subsequent jibe of the three men. While her later voluntary naked swim clarifies she didn't care much, this type of protagonist irks me. But the movie grew on me, together with the variety of people she encountered on her way. The lateral notion that it usually takes more than 5 years to get famous sounds smart but it's just one line making you think once the movie ended.

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

SHE IS LOVE 

Watchable. A great trio of actors, two of them: Sam Riley and Marisa Abela doubling as fantastic dancers, the third, Haley Bennett, resembling young Renée Zellweger, attract the eye. While the set-up and initial scenes are fun and the whole thing is colourful and visually pleasing, it falters and you end up listening to the former couple's maudlin songs. Two many songs - sung or listened to. At least lines are fun till the end, e.g. "Be good. Or if you can't be good, be careful."

 

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

DIE SCHULE DER MAGISCHEN TIERE (SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ANIMALS)

Watchable. The animals and kids and even adults are endearing. The fox acts adorably like a dog. The story's fun, the protagonists pleasant. But frequents songs, in Polish - as annoying as the spoken dubbing, detract from the pleasure.

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

BLUEBACK

Recommended. A beautiful, even if sorrowful, Australian drama about protecting marine environment. Shot in Bremer Bay, with wonderful ambient music, action keeping you in suspense and emotions as deep as the blue see. In spite of some dramatic events, the movie is quiet and highlights the idyllic life on the western coast where houses are far apart, people enjoy each other's company and love their natural environment.

DICHT BIJ VERMEER (CLOSE TO VERMEER)

Recommended. Opens with a puzzle-like assembly of the pictures of his works spread on a table. Next a curator says an exhibition needs to change your worldview. Then part of the mystery of Vermeer is presented: Rembrandt left 80 self-portraits, Vermeer none, there's just one painting where his back is visible. What follows, is a documentary gripping with the investigations whether some paintings are Vermeers or not and profoundly touching as you see the art historians' love of their jobs. Smartly edited.

すずめの戸締まり (SUZUME / SUZUME NO TOJIMARI)

Watchable. A gripping, enigmatic - pieces of info are revealed gradually to the girl protagonist and the viewer alike, sensitively scripted anime with world-crossing and delightful music. Japanese lifestyle and landscapes are recreated almost life-like, truly Japanese animation style. It's tear-jerking at times since it deals with a child losing her mother to a tsunami. The first half is set in the Prefecture of Miyazaki - is it a coincident a famous anime creator bears the same surname as the region? Luckily it has a subtitled version in Poland so you can hear it all: the dialogue and songs in Japanese. The only problem is not all of the plot is comprehensible. There's a series of early mid credits and then a lovely song till the end.